diff --git a/api/v2beta1/wms_conversion.go b/api/v2beta1/wms_conversion.go
index af7bc35..f642d4f 100644
--- a/api/v2beta1/wms_conversion.go
+++ b/api/v2beta1/wms_conversion.go
@@ -267,54 +267,67 @@ func (v2Service WMSService) GetTopLayer() (*WMSLayer, error) {
 	return nil, errors.New("unable to detect the toplayer of this WMS service")
 }
 
-func (v2Service WMSService) GetChildLayers(parent WMSLayer) ([]WMSLayer, error) {
-	children := make([]WMSLayer, 0)
-
+// MapLayersToV3
+func (v2Service WMSService) MapLayersToV3() pdoknlv3.Layer {
+	// Creates map of Groups: layers in that group
+	// and a list of all layers without a group
+	groupedLayers := map[string][]pdoknlv3.Layer{}
+	var notGroupedLayers []pdoknlv3.Layer
 	for _, layer := range v2Service.Layers {
-		if layer.Group != nil && *layer.Group == parent.Name {
-			children = append(children, layer)
+		if layer.Group == nil {
+			notGroupedLayers = append(notGroupedLayers, layer.MapToV3(v2Service))
+		} else {
+			groupedLayers[*layer.Group] = append(groupedLayers[*layer.Group], layer.MapToV3(v2Service))
 		}
 	}
 
-	if len(children) == 0 {
-		return children, errors.New("no child layers found")
+	// if a topLayer is defined in the v2 it be the only layer without a group
+	// and there are other layers that have the topLayer as their group
+	// so if there is exactly 1 layer without a group
+	// and the name of that layer exist as a key in the map of Groups: layer in that group
+	// then that layer must be the topLayer
+	var topLayer *pdoknlv3.Layer
+	if len(notGroupedLayers) == 1 {
+		_, ok := groupedLayers[*notGroupedLayers[0].Name]
+		if ok {
+			topLayer = &notGroupedLayers[0]
+		}
 	}
 
-	return children, nil
-}
-
-// MapLayersToV3
-func (v2Service WMSService) MapLayersToV3() pdoknlv3.Layer {
-	topLayer, err := v2Service.GetTopLayer()
-	if err != nil {
-		panic(err)
-	}
+	var middleLayers []pdoknlv3.Layer
 
-	var layer pdoknlv3.Layer
+	// if the topLayer is not defined in the v2 layers
+	// it needs to be created with defaults from the service
+	// and in this case the middleLayers are all layers without a group
 	if topLayer == nil {
-		layer = pdoknlv3.Layer{
-			Name:     "wms",
+		topLayer = &pdoknlv3.Layer{
 			Title:    &v2Service.Title,
 			Abstract: &v2Service.Abstract,
 			Keywords: v2Service.Keywords,
 			Layers:   &[]pdoknlv3.Layer{},
 		}
+		middleLayers = notGroupedLayers
+	}
 
-		var childLayersV3 []pdoknlv3.Layer
-		for _, childLayer := range v2Service.Layers {
-			childLayersV3 = append(childLayersV3, childLayer.MapToV3(v2Service))
+	// if the topLayer is defined in the v2 layers
+	// meaning the topLayer has a name at this point
+	// then the middleLayers are all layers that had the topLayer name as their group
+	// and the bottomLayers are all layers that had a middleLayer as a group
+	if topLayer.Name != nil {
+		for _, layer := range groupedLayers[*topLayer.Name] {
+			bottomLayers := groupedLayers[*layer.Name]
+			layer.Layers = &bottomLayers
+			middleLayers = append(middleLayers, layer)
 		}
-		layer.Layers = &childLayersV3
-	} else {
-		layer = topLayer.MapToV3(v2Service)
 	}
+	topLayer.Layers = &middleLayers
 
-	return layer
+	return *topLayer
 }
 
 func (v2Layer WMSLayer) MapToV3(v2Service WMSService) pdoknlv3.Layer {
 	layer := pdoknlv3.Layer{
-		Name:                v2Layer.Name,
+		Name:                &v2Layer.Name,
 		Title:               v2Layer.Title,
 		Abstract:            v2Layer.Abstract,
 		Keywords:            v2Layer.Keywords,
@@ -382,17 +395,6 @@ func (v2Layer WMSLayer) MapToV3(v2Service WMSService) pdoknlv3.Layer {
 
 	if v2Layer.Data != nil {
 		layer.Data = Pointer(ConvertV2DataToV3(*v2Layer.Data))
-	} else {
-		childLayersV2, err := v2Service.GetChildLayers(v2Layer)
-		if err != nil {
-			panic(err)
-		}
-
-		var childLayersV3 []pdoknlv3.Layer
-		for _, childLayer := range childLayersV2 {
-			childLayersV3 = append(childLayersV3, childLayer.MapToV3(v2Service))
-		}
-		layer.Layers = &childLayersV3
 	}
 
 	return layer
@@ -401,7 +403,7 @@ func (v2Layer WMSLayer) MapToV3(v2Service WMSService) pdoknlv3.Layer {
 func mapV3LayerToV2Layers(v3Layer pdoknlv3.Layer, parent *pdoknlv3.Layer, serviceEPSG string) []WMSLayer {
 	var layers []WMSLayer
 
-	if parent == nil && v3Layer.Name == "wms" {
+	if parent == nil && *v3Layer.Name == "wms" {
 		// Default top layer, do not include in v2 layers
 		if v3Layer.Layers != nil {
 			for _, childLayer := range *v3Layer.Layers {
@@ -410,7 +412,7 @@ func mapV3LayerToV2Layers(v3Layer pdoknlv3.Layer, parent *pdoknlv3.Layer, servic
 		}
 	} else {
 		v2Layer := WMSLayer{
-			Name:        v3Layer.Name,
+			Name:        *v3Layer.Name,
 			Title:       v3Layer.Title,
 			Abstract:    v3Layer.Abstract,
 			Keywords:    v3Layer.Keywords,
@@ -421,7 +423,7 @@ func mapV3LayerToV2Layers(v3Layer pdoknlv3.Layer, parent *pdoknlv3.Layer, servic
 		v2Layer.Visible = PointerVal(v3Layer.Visible, true)
 
 		if parent != nil {
-			v2Layer.Group = &parent.Name
+			v2Layer.Group = parent.Name
 		}
 
 		if v3Layer.DatasetMetadataURL != nil && v3Layer.DatasetMetadataURL.CSW != nil {
diff --git a/api/v3/wms_types.go b/api/v3/wms_types.go
index 022588a..564db65 100644
--- a/api/v3/wms_types.go
+++ b/api/v3/wms_types.go
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ type ConfigMapRef struct {
 }
 
 type Layer struct {
-	Name                string           `json:"name"`
+	Name                *string          `json:"name"`
 	Title               *string          `json:"title,omitempty"`
 	Abstract            *string          `json:"abstract,omitempty"`
 	Keywords            []string         `json:"keywords"`
diff --git a/api/v3/wms_types_test.go b/api/v3/wms_types_test.go
index 7ed07a4..1abeef1 100644
--- a/api/v3/wms_types_test.go
+++ b/api/v3/wms_types_test.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package v3
 import (
 	"github.com/google/go-cmp/cmp"
 	"github.com/pdok/smooth-operator/model"
+	controller "github.com/pdok/smooth-operator/pkg/util"
 	"reflect"
 	"testing"
 )
@@ -58,19 +59,19 @@ func TestLayer_setInheritedBoundingBoxes(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			name: "setInheritedBoundingBoxes for layer",
 			layer: Layer{
-				Name:          "toplayer",
+				Name:          controller.Pointer("toplayer"),
 				BoundingBoxes: []WMSBoundingBox{first28992BoundingBox},
 				Layers: &[]Layer{
 					{
-						Name:          "grouplayer-1",
+						Name:          controller.Pointer("grouplayer-1"),
 						BoundingBoxes: []WMSBoundingBox{first4326BoundingBox},
 						Layers: &[]Layer{
 							{
-								Name:          "datalayer-1",
+								Name:          controller.Pointer("datalayer-1"),
 								BoundingBoxes: []WMSBoundingBox{first4258BoundingBox},
 							},
 							{
-								Name:          "datalayer-2",
+								Name:          controller.Pointer("datalayer-2"),
 								BoundingBoxes: []WMSBoundingBox{second28992BoundingBox},
 							},
 						},
@@ -127,9 +128,9 @@ func TestLayer_setInheritedBoundingBoxes(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestLayer_GetParent(t *testing.T) {
-	childLayer2 := Layer{Name: "childlayer-2"}
-	childLayer1 := Layer{Name: "childlayer-1", Layers: &[]Layer{childLayer2}}
-	topLayer := Layer{Name: "toplayer", Layers: &[]Layer{childLayer1}}
+	childLayer2 := Layer{Name: controller.Pointer("childlayer-2")}
+	childLayer1 := Layer{Name: controller.Pointer("childlayer-1"), Layers: &[]Layer{childLayer2}}
+	topLayer := Layer{Name: controller.Pointer("toplayer"), Layers: &[]Layer{childLayer1}}
 
 	type args struct {
 		candidateLayer *Layer
diff --git a/api/v3/wms_validation.go b/api/v3/wms_validation.go
index 08fc72d..f75eb86 100644
--- a/api/v3/wms_validation.go
+++ b/api/v3/wms_validation.go
@@ -95,10 +95,10 @@ func validateWMS(wms *WMS, warnings *[]string, reasons *[]string) {
 	wms.Spec.Service.Layer.setInheritedBoundingBoxes()
 	for _, layer := range wms.Spec.Service.Layer.GetAllLayers() {
 		var layerReasons []string
-		if slices.Contains(names, layer.Name) {
-			*reasons = append(*reasons, fmt.Sprintf("layer names must be unique, layer.name '%s' is duplicated", layer.Name))
+		if slices.Contains(names, *layer.Name) {
+			*reasons = append(*reasons, fmt.Sprintf("layer names must be unique, layer.name '%s' is duplicated", *layer.Name))
 		}
-		names = append(names, layer.Name)
+		names = append(names, *layer.Name)
 		if service.Mapfile != nil && layer.BoundingBoxes != nil {
 			*warnings = append(*warnings, sharedValidation.FormatValidationWarning("layer.boundingBoxes is not used when service.mapfile is configured", wms.GroupVersionKind(), wms.GetName()))
 		}
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ func validateWMS(wms *WMS, warnings *[]string, reasons *[]string) {
 				}
 			}
 			if !rewriteGroupToDataLayers && validateChildStyleNameEqual {
-				equalStylesNames, ok := equalChildStyleNames[layer.Name]
+				equalStylesNames, ok := equalChildStyleNames[*layer.Name]
 				if ok {
 					for _, styleName := range equalStylesNames {
 						layerReasons = append(layerReasons, fmt.Sprintf("invalid style: '%s': style.name from parent layer must not be set on a child layer", styleName))
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ func validateWMS(wms *WMS, warnings *[]string, reasons *[]string) {
 			}
 		}
 		if len(layerReasons) != 0 {
-			*reasons = append(*reasons, fmt.Sprintf("%s '%s' is invalid: ", layerType, layer.Name)+strings.Join(layerReasons, ", "))
+			*reasons = append(*reasons, fmt.Sprintf("%s '%s' is invalid: ", layerType, *layer.Name)+strings.Join(layerReasons, ", "))
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ func findEqualChildStyleNames(layer *Layer, equalStyleNames *map[string][]string
 			}
 		}
 		if len(equalStyles) > 0 {
-			equalChildStyleNames[childLayer.Name] = equalStyles
+			equalChildStyleNames[*childLayer.Name] = equalStyles
 		}
 		findEqualChildStyleNames(&childLayer, equalStyleNames)
 	}
diff --git a/api/v3/wms_validation_test.go b/api/v3/wms_validation_test.go
index f73f367..13f4856 100644
--- a/api/v3/wms_validation_test.go
+++ b/api/v3/wms_validation_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package v3
 
 import (
+	controller "github.com/pdok/smooth-operator/pkg/util"
 	"reflect"
 	"testing"
 )
@@ -19,21 +20,21 @@ func Test_getEqualChildStyleNames(t *testing.T) {
 			name: "Test equal style names",
 			args: args{
 				layer: &Layer{
-					Name: "toplayer",
+					Name: controller.Pointer("toplayer"),
 					Styles: []Style{
 						{Name: "stylename-1"},
 						{Name: "stylename-2"},
 					},
 					Layers: &[]Layer{
 						{
-							Name: "childlayer-1",
+							Name: controller.Pointer("childlayer-1"),
 							Styles: []Style{
 								{Name: "stylename-2"},
 								{Name: "stylename-3"},
 							},
 							Layers: &[]Layer{
 								{
-									Name: "childlayer-2",
+									Name: controller.Pointer("childlayer-2"),
 									Styles: []Style{
 										{Name: "stylename-3"},
 										{Name: "stylename-4"},
@@ -54,21 +55,21 @@ func Test_getEqualChildStyleNames(t *testing.T) {
 			name: "Test no equal style names",
 			args: args{
 				layer: &Layer{
-					Name: "toplayer",
+					Name: controller.Pointer("toplayer"),
 					Styles: []Style{
 						{Name: "stylename-1"},
 						{Name: "stylename-2"},
 					},
 					Layers: &[]Layer{
 						{
-							Name: "childlayer-1",
+							Name: controller.Pointer("childlayer-1"),
 							Styles: []Style{
 								{Name: "stylename-3"},
 								{Name: "stylename-4"},
 							},
 							Layers: &[]Layer{
 								{
-									Name: "childlayer-2",
+									Name: controller.Pointer("childlayer-2"),
 									Styles: []Style{
 										{Name: "stylename-5"},
 										{Name: "stylename-6"},
diff --git a/internal/controller/blobdownload/blob_download.go b/internal/controller/blobdownload/blob_download.go
index c9fcce2..7c13146 100644
--- a/internal/controller/blobdownload/blob_download.go
+++ b/internal/controller/blobdownload/blob_download.go
@@ -170,14 +170,14 @@ func downloadStylingAssets(sb *strings.Builder, wms *pdoknlv3.WMS) error {
 
 func downloadLegends(sb *strings.Builder, wms *pdoknlv3.WMS) error {
 	for _, layer := range wms.GetAllLayersWithLegend() {
-		writeLine(sb, "mkdir -p %s/%s;", legendPath, layer.Name)
+		writeLine(sb, "mkdir -p %s/%s;", legendPath, *layer.Name)
 		for _, style := range layer.Styles {
-			writeLine(sb, "rclone copyto blobs:/%s  %s/%s/%s.png || exit 1;", style.Legend.BlobKey, legendPath, layer.Name, style.Name)
+			writeLine(sb, "rclone copyto blobs:/%s  %s/%s/%s.png || exit 1;", style.Legend.BlobKey, legendPath, *layer.Name, style.Name)
 			fileName, err := getFilenameFromBlobKey(style.Legend.BlobKey)
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
-			writeLine(sb, "Copied legend %s to %s/%s/%s.png;", fileName, legendPath, layer.Name, style.Name)
+			writeLine(sb, "Copied legend %s to %s/%s/%s.png;", fileName, legendPath, *layer.Name, style.Name)
 		}
 	}
 	writeLine(sb, "chown -R 999:999 %s", legendPath)
diff --git a/internal/controller/blobdownload/blob_download_test.go b/internal/controller/blobdownload/blob_download_test.go
index 2745f3f..08bfe17 100644
--- a/internal/controller/blobdownload/blob_download_test.go
+++ b/internal/controller/blobdownload/blob_download_test.go
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ func TestGetArgsForWMS(t *testing.T) {
 						Service: v3.WMSService{
 							Title: "wms-gpkg-service-title",
 							Layer: v3.Layer{
-								Name:  "wms-gpkg-layer-name",
+								Name:  smoothoperatorutils.Pointer("wms-gpkg-layer-name"),
 								Title: smoothoperatorutils.Pointer("wms-gpkg-layer-title"),
 								Styles: []v3.Style{
 									{
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ func TestGetArgsForWMS(t *testing.T) {
 								},
 								Layers: &[]v3.Layer{
 									{
-										Name:  "wms-gpkg-layer-1-name",
+										Name:  smoothoperatorutils.Pointer("wms-gpkg-layer-1-name"),
 										Title: smoothoperatorutils.Pointer("wms-gpkg-layer-1-title"),
 										Styles: []v3.Style{
 											{
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ func TestGetArgsForWMS(t *testing.T) {
 										},
 									},
 									{
-										Name:  "wms-gpkg-layer-2-name",
+										Name:  smoothoperatorutils.Pointer("wms-gpkg-layer-2-name"),
 										Title: smoothoperatorutils.Pointer("wms-gpkg-layer-2-title"),
 										Styles: []v3.Style{
 											{
@@ -222,11 +222,11 @@ func TestGetArgsForWMS(t *testing.T) {
 						Service: v3.WMSService{
 							Title: "wms-tif-service-title",
 							Layer: v3.Layer{
-								Name:  "wms-tif-layer-name",
+								Name:  smoothoperatorutils.Pointer("wms-tif-layer-name"),
 								Title: smoothoperatorutils.Pointer("wms-tif-layer-title"),
 								Layers: &[]v3.Layer{
 									{
-										Name:  "wms-tif-layer-1-name",
+										Name:  smoothoperatorutils.Pointer("wms-tif-layer-1-name"),
 										Title: smoothoperatorutils.Pointer("wms-tif-layer-1-title"),
 										Styles: []v3.Style{
 											{
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ func TestGetArgsForWMS(t *testing.T) {
 										},
 									},
 									{
-										Name:  "wms-tif-layer-2-name",
+										Name:  smoothoperatorutils.Pointer("wms-tif-layer-2-name"),
 										Title: smoothoperatorutils.Pointer("wms-tif-layer-2-title"),
 										Styles: []v3.Style{
 											{
diff --git a/internal/controller/capabilitiesgenerator/mapper.go b/internal/controller/capabilitiesgenerator/mapper.go
index a2994ce..8660c3a 100644
--- a/internal/controller/capabilitiesgenerator/mapper.go
+++ b/internal/controller/capabilitiesgenerator/mapper.go
@@ -588,7 +588,7 @@ func getLayers(wms *pdoknlv3.WMS, canonicalUrl string) []wms130.Layer {
 		nestedLayer := wms130.Layer{
 			Queryable: asPtr(1),
 			Opaque:    nil,
-			Name:      &layer.Name,
+			Name:      layer.Name,
 			Title:     pointerValOrDefault(layer.Title, ""),
 			Abstract:  layer.Abstract,
 			KeywordList: &wms130.Keywords{
@@ -621,7 +621,7 @@ func getLayers(wms *pdoknlv3.WMS, canonicalUrl string) []wms130.Layer {
 					OnlineResource: wms130.OnlineResource{
 						Xlink: nil,
 						Type:  asPtr("simple"),
-						Href:  asPtr(canonicalUrl + "/legend/" + layer.Name + "/" + layer.Name + ".png"),
+						Href:  asPtr(canonicalUrl + "/legend/" + *layer.Name + "/" + style.Name + ".png"),
 					},
 				},
 				StyleSheetURL: nil,
diff --git a/internal/controller/featureinfogenerator/featureinfo_generator_test.go b/internal/controller/featureinfogenerator/featureinfo_generator_test.go
index 8dee78a..4df5a13 100644
--- a/internal/controller/featureinfogenerator/featureinfo_generator_test.go
+++ b/internal/controller/featureinfogenerator/featureinfo_generator_test.go
@@ -78,13 +78,13 @@ func TestGetInput(t *testing.T) {
 						},
 						Service: pdoknlv3.WMSService{
 							Layer: pdoknlv3.Layer{
-								Name: "top-layer-name",
+								Name: smoothoperatorutils.Pointer("top-layer-name"),
 								Layers: &[]pdoknlv3.Layer{
 									{
-										Name: "group-layer-name",
+										Name: smoothoperatorutils.Pointer("group-layer-name"),
 										Layers: &[]pdoknlv3.Layer{
 											{
-												Name: "gpkg-layer-name",
+												Name: smoothoperatorutils.Pointer("gpkg-layer-name"),
 												Data: &pdoknlv3.Data{
 													Gpkg: &pdoknlv3.Gpkg{
 														Columns: []pdoknlv3.Column{
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ func TestGetInput(t *testing.T) {
 												},
 											},
 											{
-												Name: "postgis-layer-name",
+												Name: smoothoperatorutils.Pointer("postgis-layer-name"),
 												Data: &pdoknlv3.Data{
 													Postgis: &pdoknlv3.Postgis{
 														Columns: []pdoknlv3.Column{
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ func TestGetInput(t *testing.T) {
 												},
 											},
 											{
-												Name: "tif-layer-name",
+												Name: smoothoperatorutils.Pointer("tif-layer-name"),
 												Data: &pdoknlv3.Data{
 													TIF: &pdoknlv3.TIF{
 														GetFeatureInfoIncludesClass: smoothoperatorutils.Pointer(true),
diff --git a/internal/controller/featureinfogenerator/mapper.go b/internal/controller/featureinfogenerator/mapper.go
index 513df6e..89624fd 100644
--- a/internal/controller/featureinfogenerator/mapper.go
+++ b/internal/controller/featureinfogenerator/mapper.go
@@ -22,13 +22,13 @@ func MapWMSToFeatureinfoGeneratorInput(wms *pdoknlv3.WMS) (*featureinfo.Scheme,
 			continue
 		}
 		l := featureinfo.Layer{
-			Name:       layer.Name,
+			Name:       *layer.Name,
 			Properties: getProperties(&layer),
 		}
 
 		parentLayer := layer.GetParent(&wms.Spec.Service.Layer)
 		if parentLayer != nil && parentLayer.IsGroupLayer() {
-			l.GroupName = parentLayer.Name
+			l.GroupName = *parentLayer.Name
 		}
 
 		input.Layers = append(input.Layers, l)
diff --git a/internal/controller/legendgenerator/mapper.go b/internal/controller/legendgenerator/mapper.go
index 29867cb..a461b28 100644
--- a/internal/controller/legendgenerator/mapper.go
+++ b/internal/controller/legendgenerator/mapper.go
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ func processLayer(layer *pdoknlv3.Layer, legendReferences *[]LegendReference) {
 	for _, style := range layer.Styles {
 		if style.Legend == nil {
 			*legendReferences = append(*legendReferences, LegendReference{
-				Layer: layer.Name,
+				Layer: *layer.Name,
 				Style: style.Name,
 			})
 		}
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ func addLegendFixerConfig(wms *pdoknlv3.WMS, data map[string]string) {
 			for _, style := range layer.Styles {
 				if topLevelStyleNames[style.Name] && style.Legend == nil {
 					legendReferences = append(legendReferences, LegendReference{
-						Layer: layer.Name,
+						Layer: *layer.Name,
 						Style: style.Name,
 					})
 				}
@@ -108,18 +108,18 @@ func addLegendFixerConfig(wms *pdoknlv3.WMS, data map[string]string) {
 
 	groupLayers := make(map[string][]string)
 
-	if topLayer.IsGroupLayer() {
+	if topLayer.IsGroupLayer() && topLayer.Name != nil {
 		layerName := topLayer.Name
 		targetArray := make([]string, 0)
 		getAllNestedNonGroupLayerNames(&topLayer, &targetArray)
-		groupLayers[layerName] = targetArray
+		groupLayers[*layerName] = targetArray
 
 		for _, subLayer := range *topLayer.Layers {
 			if subLayer.IsGroupLayer() {
 				layerName = subLayer.Name
 				targetArray = make([]string, 0)
 				getAllNestedNonGroupLayerNames(&subLayer, &targetArray)
-				groupLayers[layerName] = targetArray
+				groupLayers[*layerName] = targetArray
 			}
 		}
 	}
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ func getAllNestedNonGroupLayerNames(layer *pdoknlv3.Layer, target *[]string) {
 		if subLayer.IsGroupLayer() {
 			getAllNestedNonGroupLayerNames(&subLayer, target)
 		} else {
-			*target = append(*target, subLayer.Name)
+			*target = append(*target, *subLayer.Name)
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/internal/controller/mapserver/deployment.go b/internal/controller/mapserver/deployment.go
index 9cac2be..61ff318 100644
--- a/internal/controller/mapserver/deployment.go
+++ b/internal/controller/mapserver/deployment.go
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ func getReadinessProbeForWMS(wms *pdoknlv3.WMS) (*v1.Probe, error) {
 	firstDataLayerName := ""
 	for _, layer := range wms.Spec.Service.Layer.GetAllLayers() {
 		if layer.IsDataLayer() {
-			firstDataLayerName = layer.Name
+			firstDataLayerName = *layer.Name
 			break
 		}
 	}
@@ -337,7 +337,10 @@ func getStartupProbeForWFS(wfs *pdoknlv3.WFS) (*v1.Probe, error) {
 func getStartupProbeForWMS(wms *pdoknlv3.WMS) (*v1.Probe, error) {
 	var layerNames []string
 	for _, layer := range wms.Spec.Service.Layer.GetAllLayers() {
-		layerNames = append(layerNames, layer.Name)
+		if layer.Name != nil {
+			layerNames = append(layerNames, *layer.Name)
+		}
+
 	}
 	if len(layerNames) == 0 {
 		return nil, errors.New("cannot get startup probe for WMS, layers could not be found")
diff --git a/internal/controller/ogcwebserviceproxy/ogc_webservice_proxy.go b/internal/controller/ogcwebserviceproxy/ogc_webservice_proxy.go
index d6aa039..b27b210 100644
--- a/internal/controller/ogcwebserviceproxy/ogc_webservice_proxy.go
+++ b/internal/controller/ogcwebserviceproxy/ogc_webservice_proxy.go
@@ -70,11 +70,11 @@ func MapWMSToOgcWebserviceProxyConfig(wms *pdoknlv3.WMS) (config Config, err err
 			var dataLayers []string
 			for _, childLayer := range *layer.Layers {
 				if childLayer.IsDataLayer() {
-					dataLayers = append(dataLayers, childLayer.Name)
+					dataLayers = append(dataLayers, *childLayer.Name)
 				}
 			}
 			if len(dataLayers) > 0 {
-				config.GroupLayers[layer.Name] = dataLayers
+				config.GroupLayers[*layer.Name] = dataLayers
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/internal/controller/ogcwebserviceproxy/ogc_webservice_proxy_test.go b/internal/controller/ogcwebserviceproxy/ogc_webservice_proxy_test.go
index c50127f..28a1771 100644
--- a/internal/controller/ogcwebserviceproxy/ogc_webservice_proxy_test.go
+++ b/internal/controller/ogcwebserviceproxy/ogc_webservice_proxy_test.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package ogcwebserviceproxy
 
 import (
 	pdoknlv3 "github.com/pdok/mapserver-operator/api/v3"
+	controller "github.com/pdok/smooth-operator/pkg/util"
 	"testing"
 )
 
@@ -31,30 +32,30 @@ func TestGetConfig(t *testing.T) {
 					Spec: pdoknlv3.WMSSpec{
 						Service: pdoknlv3.WMSService{
 							Layer: pdoknlv3.Layer{
-								Name: "toplayer",
+								Name: controller.Pointer("toplayer"),
 								Layers: &[]pdoknlv3.Layer{
 									{
-										Name: "grouplayer-1",
+										Name: controller.Pointer("grouplayer-1"),
 										Layers: &[]pdoknlv3.Layer{
 											{
-												Name: "datalayer-1",
+												Name: controller.Pointer("datalayer-1"),
 												Data: &pdoknlv3.Data{Gpkg: &pdoknlv3.Gpkg{BlobKey: "blob-1"}},
 											},
 											{
-												Name: "datalayer-2",
+												Name: controller.Pointer("datalayer-2"),
 												Data: &pdoknlv3.Data{Gpkg: &pdoknlv3.Gpkg{BlobKey: "blob-2"}},
 											},
 										},
 									},
 									{
-										Name: "grouplayer-2",
+										Name: controller.Pointer("grouplayer-2"),
 										Layers: &[]pdoknlv3.Layer{
 											{
-												Name: "datalayer-3",
+												Name: controller.Pointer("datalayer-3"),
 												Data: &pdoknlv3.Data{Gpkg: &pdoknlv3.Gpkg{BlobKey: "blob-3"}},
 											},
 											{
-												Name: "datalayer-4",
+												Name: controller.Pointer("datalayer-4"),
 												Data: &pdoknlv3.Data{Gpkg: &pdoknlv3.Gpkg{BlobKey: "blob-4"}},
 											},
 										},